The Future Glory

Vobis, fratres, nec ab inani tristitia verae brevitatis, nec a fallaci consolatione simulatae longitudinis timeo, quod certissime jam coeperitis ire in civitatem habitationis, nec ambuletis in invio, sed in via. Vereor autem ne vobis quoque, sed aliter, vita ipsa simulatione longitudinis illudere velit, non consolationem hinc afferens, sed magis inferens desolationem. Vereor, inquam, ne longiorem sibi vitam superesse quis reputans, et grandem sibi restare autumans viam, obruatur a pusillanimitate spiritus, et labores tantos et tam diuturnos sustinere posse desperet. Quasi vero non secundum multitudinem dolorum suorum in corde suo, consolationes divinae laetificent animas electorum. Et nunc quidem secundum multitudinem dolorum, dum adhuc quasi ad mensuram dantur. Caeterum post haec delectationes, non jam consolationes in dextera ejus usque in finem. Concupiscamus illam dexteram, fratres, quae totos amplexabitur nos; suspiremus ad delectationes illas, ut, sicut breve est omnino tempus, etiam pauci videantur nobis dies prae amoris magnitudine. Non sunt condignae passiones hujus temporis ad futuram gloriam quae revelabitur in nobis. Jucunda promissio, et votis omnibus amplectenda. Non enim astabimus quasi inanes et vacui spectatores, nec gloria illa quasi extrinsecus revelabitur nobis, sed in nobis. Videbimus enim Deum facie ad faciem, sed non extra nos; quia in nobis erit, utique omnia in omnibus. Nimirum plena erit gloria illa etiam omnis terra: quanto magis anima ipsa replebitur? Replebimur, inquit, in bonis domus tuae. Et quid dico, quod non aderit nobis gloria, sed inerit? Nunc quoque in nobis est, sed tunc revelabitur. Nunc enim filii Dei sumus, sed nondum apparuit quid erimus. Fratres mei, si non accepimus spiritum hujus mundi, sed spiritum qui ex Deo est, sciamus quae a Deo donata sunt nobis. Ego enim dico quoniam omnia. Et, si mihi non creditis, Apostolo credite. Qui proprio, ait, Filio non pepercit, sed pro nobis omnibus tradidit illum, quomodo non omnia etiam cum illo nobis donavit? Haec nempe potestas filiorum Dei, quam dedit his qui receperunt eum. Haec gloria cujusque fidelis, gloria quasi adoptati a Patre, per eum utique cujus gloriam vidimus, gloriam quasi Unigeniti a Patre. Audi denique potestatem: Omnia, inquit, possibilia sunt credenti. Sanctus Bernardus Clarae Vallensis, Sermones De Diversis, Sermo I, De Fallacia et Brevitate Vitae Praesentis Source: Migne PL 183.539b-540b

For you, brothers, I fear neither the inane grief at the truth of life’s brevity, nor the false comfort of the appearance of long time, because certainly you have already begun to go toward that city of habitation, and you do not walk without a path but on the way. 1 But I do fear for you, even so, that the appearance of the length of this life wishes to delude you, which brings no consolation, but rather brings one to desolation. I fear, I say, lest someone reputing to have surpassed the tedium of this life, and affirming the great way, shall seek to rest, overwhelmed by a weakness of spirit, despairing of being able to endure daily labours. But not according to the multitude of sorrows in the heart, do the Divine consolations rejoice the souls of the elect. And now certainly as for the multitude of sorrows, there are yet given with a certain measure. Besides after these are delights, the consolations of His right hand at the end, which are not yet present. Let us desire the right hand, brothers, which shall embrace us all. Let us sigh for those delights, as brief as the time really is, for before the greatness of love the days before will seem few to us. The necessary troubles of this time are not like the future glory which shall be revealed in us. 2 Let us embrace the delightful promise with every prayer. Let us not stand to the side as if we were empty and thoughtless spectators, because that glory shall not be revealed as something outside us, but in us. We shall see God face to face, but not beyond us, because He shall be in us, everything in everything. 3 The world shall be full of His glory, 4 and so how much more shall the soul be full with it? 'We shall be filled,' it says, 'with the good things of your house.' 5 And why do I say that the glory shall not be near us, but in us? Even now He is in us, but then He shall be revealed. Now indeed we are sons of God, but it does not yet appear what we shall be. 6 My brothers, if we do not receive the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is from God, we shall know the things that God has given to us. I say to you that it is everything. And if you do not believe me, believe the Apostle: 'He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us, will He not also give us all things with Him?' 7 This undoubtedly is the power of the sons of God, which He gives to those who receive Him. This is the glory of the faithful, the glory as the adopted ones of the Father, by which we see His glory, the glory as the Only Begotten from the Father. 8 Finally hear this about the power, 'Everything is possible,' He says, 'for those who believe.' 9 Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Various Sermons, from Sermon 1, On the Delusions and Brevity of the Present Life 1 Ps 106.4 2 Rom 8.18 3 1 Cor 15.28 4 Isaiah 6.8 5 Ps 64.5 6 1 Jn 3.2 7 Rom 8.32 8 Jn 1.14 9 Mk 9.22